Thanks to the help of one nine-year-old little girl the small town of Novelty, population of about 100, was able to reach out and make a difference in the lives of Joplin tornado victims.Cadie Violette of Novelty, daughter of Jason and Cindy, came home from school one day after the deadliest tornado on record pummeled Joplin and asked her mother if she could raise money to send to the people in Joplin. Cadie had seen early reports of the devastation Sunday evening, May 22, 2011, which had such a dramatic impact on her she stewed over the disaster through that evening and all the next day while she was at school. Cadie didn’t discuss how she felt about the Joplin tornado until finally, school let out and she went home and told her mom, Cindy, her important idea.She told her mom, “I should go around Novelty and get money for Joplin.” Cadie’s mom said she didn’t expect her get very much.“My answer was, we gotta send more than five or ten dollars.” Said Cindy.Cadie’s reply, “I know I can get more than five or ten dollars.” And boy, was she right.Cadie’s mom made her a sign that read, “Joplin Relief Please Help,” and stuck it to a one gallon plastic ice cream bucket with a hole cut in the lid. Armed with her ice-cream bucket Cadie set out to get some donations for the tornado victims in Joplin.She went to a few local homes collecting donations at first then decided to ask the folks at the Jackson Café in Novelty if she could leave her bucket for a few days and they were happy to help. After her bucket stayed a few days at the café Cadie picked it up and took it to her church, the Novelty Christian Church, and asked if she could leave it there. Her church family gladly accepted her ice-cream bucket and donated to Joplin, through Cadie’s bucket, two Sunday’s in a row. After the second Sunday Cadie accidentally left it at the church and went home without it. Her grandmother, Marilyn Lincoln, took it home with her planning to hand it off to Cadie later that day. “Grandma called and said she wanted me bring Cadie right over because she wanted to see the look on Cadie’s face when she counted it.” Said Cindy. Cadie says she got to her grandma’s and sat at the kitchen table to count the money collected in her ice-cream bucket with her mother and grandmother intently watching. “We had to get the calculator out.” Said Cindy.As soon as she was done counting she, in a very matter of fact way, told her mother, “I told you so.”They were shocked to find over $1,000 was collected for Joplin. In fact, she collected $1,144.38. Cadie’s grandma suggested Cadie send the money to the College Heights Christian Church in Joplin, which Cadie’s great-aunt, Pat Lincoln, is a member. Cadie did send the money to the Joplin church and 100 percent of it went to disaster relief in memory of her late great-uncle, Roy Lincoln, who was also a member of the College Heights Christian Church. “Several people at home are very proud of her. We’re all proud of her.” Said Cindy. “I should have known. When she was little she took a bunch of kittens up to the Novelty Café and charged people five cents to pet them. She put signs up all over town. You wouldn’t believe how many people showed up to pet those kittens.” “The signs said, pet my kittens for five cents,” said Cadie.Cadie’s story of wanting to help Joplin doesn’t stop there. On Thursday, June 16, 2011 The Joplin Globe printed her story on the front page of their newspaper telling the people of Joplin all about how one tiny town and one little girl came together to make a difference. When asked why she did what she did for Joplin Cadie simply said, “I felt bad for them.” And, “Novelty’s a giving community.” Doubtful this fundraiser will be young Cadie’s last. She has a few under her belt now. Cadie says she doesn’t have any more projects in the works at the moment, but we’ll be sure to keep an eye on what project this little girl comes up with next.